Dental Dilemmas

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Produced by CIEC Promoting Science, this resource looks at the testing of materials in the context of dentistry. Students first look at the properties of teeth and the nature of toothache before going on to test materials for a range of properties.

Experimental methods detailed include:
• testing the relative hardness of materials
• comparing the resistance to stretching of a range of materials
• measuring Young's modulus for the plastic used to make carrier bags
• comparing the resistance to bending of a range of materials
• comparing relative thermal conductivities
• investigating electrical resistance and measuring resistivity
• considering experimental errors.

There are also tables included that contain data on thermal conductivity, tensile strength, elasticity (Young's modulus) and density for a range of materials. The students booklet contains accessible information on the properties of materials that include:
• chemical bonding
• ceramics
• polymers
• metals
• composites
• how the structure of a material affect its properties.

URL: http://stem.org.uk/rx8jm

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